10 Writing Prompts for Saturday

When I’m not writing, I’m thinking about writing. One thing that gets me in the creative mood is listening to music and thinking about what the lyrics are trying to say. Music is so wonderfully subjective, ten people can listen to the same song and take away a different meaning.

Here are ten snippets of lyrics from songs that took me in completely unexpected directions when I turned them into stories. Hopefully they work for you. If nothing else, they are kick ass songs.

1. “I was in the room when you were leaning” – Psychic Reader by Bad Bad Hats

2. “My bodyguard shows her revolver to anyone who asks” – Lit up by The National

3. “But when my heart stops, I’m letting you go, there’ll be another one to follow you home” – Hermila by Shout Out Louds

4. “Caught the train, took the road, searching for a pot of gold.” – Curious by Sandbox

5. “Tell me there’s no goodbyes” – No Goodbyes by The Subways

6. “I could have been a common thief, sitting in the dirt quite happily. Do you have a dollar for me?” – Coin Laundry by Lisa Mitchell

7. “I set fire to abusers like a war. I am a terror, but I don’t know what it is I fight for.” – Survival by Adult Mom

8. “Sometimes it’s wise to know which way the gun is pointing before you yell ‘I see the whites of their eyes'”– Salesmen, Cheats and Liars by Lowest of the Low

9. “That’s the thing about Carolina, they cut you off before you even go on.” – BFFU by Math the Band

10. “I got a hand, so I got a fist, so I got a plan, it’s the best I can do. Now they’ll say it’s in God’s hands, but God doesn’t always have the best goddamn plans.” – Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts by Wolf Parade